Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of and methods to manufacture golf club heads and golf clubs are generally described. A golf club head may include a body portion with a perimeter defined by a toe-portion edge, a top-portion edge, a heel-portion edge, and a sole-portion edge. A body groove portion may extend along at least a portion of the perimeter of the body portion to define a first body portion from the body groove portion to a face portion of the golf club head and a second body portion from the body groove portion to a back wall portion of a back portion of the body portion. An outer surface of the first body portion may have a first visual property and an outer surface of the second body portion may have a second visual property different from the first visual property. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

COPYRIGHT AUTHORIZATION

The present disclosure may be subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the present disclosure and its related documents, as they appear in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all applicable copyrights.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/272,108, filed Oct. 26, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to golf equipment, and more particularly, to golf club heads and methods to manufacturing golf club heads.

BACKGROUND

Various materials (e.g., steel-based materials, titanium-based materials, tungsten-based materials, etc.) may be used to manufacture golf club heads. By using multiple materials to manufacture golf club heads, the position of the center of gravity (CG) and/or the moment of inertia (MOI) of the golf club heads may be optimized to produce certain trajectory and spin rate of a golf ball.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a golf club constructed according to an embodiment of the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture of any of the golf club heads described herein.

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 depict a front and top view, a rear and bottom view, front view, a back view, a top view, a bottom view, a heel side view, and a toe side view, a cross-sectional view (taken at line 10-10 of FIG. 5 ), a cross-sectional view (taken at line 11-11 of FIG. 5 ), a cross-sectional view (taken at line 12-12 of FIG. 5 ), a cross-sectional view (taken at line 13-13 of FIG. 4 ), a cross-sectional view (taken at line 14-14 of FIG. 4 ), and a cross-sectional view (taken at line 15-15 of FIG. 4 ), respectively, of a golf club head according to an embodiment of the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein.

FIGS. 16, 17, and 18 , depict a rear view, a heel-side view, and a toe-side view of another example of the golf club of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein.

FIGS. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 depict toe-side views of golf club heads with increasing loft angles according to an embodiment of the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture of any of the golf club heads described herein.

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures may not be depicted to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION

In general, golf club heads, golf clubs, and methods to manufacture golf club heads and golf clubs are described herein. The following U.S. Patents and Patent Publications, which are collectively referred to herein as “the incorporated by reference patent documents,” are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety:

In the example of FIG. 1 , a golf club 100 may include a golf club head 200, a shaft 110, and a grip 120. The golf club head 200 may be attached to one end of the shaft 110 and the grip 120 may be attached to the opposite end of the shaft 110. An individual can hold the grip 120 and swing the golf club head 200 with the shaft 110 to strike a golf ball (not illustrated). The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

In the example of FIGS. 1-25 , a golf club head 200 may include a body portion 210 having a toe portion 240 with a toe-portion edge 242, a heel portion 250 with a heel-portion edge 252, a hosel portion 255 configured to receive a shaft (a shaft 110 is illustrated for example in FIG. 1 ), a front portion 260, a back portion 270 with a back wall portion 272, a top portion 280 with a top-portion edge 282, and a sole portion 290 with a sole-portion edge 292. The toe portion 240, the heel portion 250, the front portion 260, the back portion 270, the top portion 280, and/or the sole portion 290 may partially overlap each other. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

In the example of FIGS. 1-25 , the golf club head 200 may be an iron-type golf club head or have many of the physical characteristics of an iron-type golf club head, such as, a maximum distance from the top-portion edge to the sole-portion edge being greater than a maximum distance from the face portion to the back wall portion. Accordingly, the golf club head 200 may be an iron-type golf club head (e.g., a 1-iron, a 2-iron, a 3-iron, a 4-iron, a 5-iron, a 6-iron, a 7-iron, an 8-iron, a 9-iron, etc.), or a wedge-type golf club head (e.g., a pitching wedge, a lob wedge, a sand wedge, an n-degree wedge such as 44 degrees (°), 48°, 52°, 56°, 60°, etc.). Although FIGS. 1-25 may depict a particular type of club head, the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applicable to other types of club heads (e.g., a driver-type club head, a fairway wood-type club head, a hybrid-type club head, a putter-type club head, etc.). The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The golf club head 200 may include a face portion 262 (i.e., the strike face). In one example, the face portion 262 may be integrally formed with the body portion 210 (e.g., a single unitary piece). In another example, the face portion 262 may be a separate piece coupled (e.g., adhesively, mechanically, by welding or soldering) to the front portion 260 of the body portion 210. The face portion 262 may include a front surface 264 and a back surface 266. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The golf club head 200 may be associated with a ground plane 310, a horizontal midplane 320, and a top plane 330. In particular, the ground plane 310 may be a plane that is parallel or substantially parallel to the ground and is tangent to the lowermost edge of the sole portion 290 when the golf club head 200 is at an address position (e.g., the golf club head 200 aligned to strike a golf ball). A top plane 330 may be a plane that is tangent to the uppermost edge of the top portion 280 when the golf club head 200 is at the address position. The ground plane 310 and the top plane 330, respectively, may be parallel or substantially parallel to each other. The horizontal midplane 320 may be vertically halfway between the ground plane 310 and the top plane 330, respectively. Further, the golf club head 200 may be associated with a loft plane 340 defining a loft angle 345 (α) of the golf club head 200. The loft plane 340 may be plane that is tangent to the face portion 262. The loft angle 345 may be defined by the loft plane 340 and a vertical plane 350 normal to the ground plane 310. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The body portion 210 may be a hollow body including an interior cavity 410 having inner walls 412. The interior cavity 410 may extend between the front portion 260, the back portion 270, the top portion 280, and the sole portion 290. In the example of FIGS. 1-25 , the interior cavity 410 may be unfilled. In another example, not illustrated, the interior cavity 410 may be partially or entirely filled with one or more filler materials (i.e., a cavity filling material), which may include one or more similar or different types of materials that may provide vibration dampening or sound dampening when the golf club head 200 strikes a golf ball. A filler material may be similar to any of the filler materials described herein. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The body portion 210 may include any number of ports that may be connected to the interior cavity 410. Any port on the body portion 210 may be used to inject filler material into the interior cavity 410. The body portion 210 may also include any number of mass portions that may be separate mass portions that are coupled to the body portion 210 or may be integral with the body portion 210. Any port on the body portion 210 may be configured to receive a mass portion. In one example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-25 , the body portion 210 may include a mass portion 632 that may be integral or one-piece with the body portion 210. The mass portion 632 may be located at or proximate to the toe-portion edge 242 to increase the moment of inertia of the golf club head 200. In examples of the golf club head 200 where the body portion 210 includes one or more of ports and/or one or more mass portions, the configuration of port(s) and mass portion(s) and any function of the port(s) and mass portion(s) may be similar to the configuration of port(s) and mass portion(s) described in any of the incorporated by reference patent documents. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The body portion 210 may include a body groove portion 530 that may partially, fully, discretely (i.e., segmented), or continuously extend along a perimeter of the body portion 210, which may be defined by the top-portion edge 282, toe-portion edge 242, sole-portion edge 292, and the heel-portion edge 252. In one example, the body groove portion 530 may extend discretely or continuously along the entire perimeter of the body portion 210. In another example, the body groove portion 530 may extend discretely or continuously along between 80% to 100% of the perimeter of the body portion 210. In another example, the body groove portion 530 may extend discretely or continuously along between 60% to 80% of the perimeter of the body portion 210. In another example, the body groove portion 530 may extend discretely or continuously along between 40% to 60% of the perimeter of the body portion 210. In another example, the body groove portion 530 may extend discretely or continuously along between 20% to 40% of the perimeter of the body portion 210. In another example, the body groove portion 530 may extend discretely or continuously along less than or equal to 20% of the perimeter of the body portion 210. In another example, the body groove portion 530 may extend discretely or continuously along less than or equal to 50% or greater than or equal to 50% of the perimeter of the body portion 210. In yet another example, the body groove portion 530 may partially or fully extend discretely or continuously along only one or any combination of top-portion edge 282, toe-portion edge 242, sole-portion edge 292, or the heel-portion edge 252. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

In one example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-15 , the body groove portion 530 may extend continuously around the entire perimeter of the body portion 210. In other words, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-15 , the body groove portion 530 may extend along the heel-portion edge 252, the sole-portion edge 292, the toe-portion edge 242, and the sole-portion edge 292 in a continuous loop. In another example, as illustrated in FIGS. 16-18 , the body groove portion 530 may extend continuously from a first body groove portion end 532 located on the heel-portion edge 252 along the heel-portion edge 252, the sole-portion edge 292, the toe-portion edge 242, and the sole-portion edge 292 to a second body groove portion end 534 on the sole-portion edge 292. A portion of the perimeter of the body portion 210 between the first body groove portion end 532 and the second body groove portion end 534 may not have a body groove portion 530 as illustrated in the example of FIGS. 16-18 . The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The body groove portion 530 may visually divide the body portion 210 into a first body portion or a front body portion 212 and a second body portion or a rear body portion 214. The shape of front body portion 212 may resemble the shape of an iron-type golf club head. Accordingly, the front body portion 212 may visually resemble an iron-type golf club with the rear body portion 214 extending rearward from the front body portion 212 yet appearing visually distinguished from the front body portion 212 by the body groove portion 530. In another example, the body groove portion 530 may extend at least along the top-portion edge 282 to visually separate the front body portion 212 form the rear body portion 214 to an individual at an address position so that the front body portion 212 appears to be an iron-type golf club head to the individual at the address position. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The rear body portion 214 may include an upper back wall portion 274, a lower back wall portion 276, and a ledge portion 278 that may extend rearward from the upper back wall portion 274 to the lower back wall portion 276 to provide a transition between the upper back wall portion 274 and the lower back wall portion 276. The ledge portion 278 may include a ledge portion width 279, which in one example, may be defined by a distance between the upper back wall portion 274 and the lower back wall portion 276 at a location where the upper back wall portion 274 transitions to the ledge portion 278 (i.e., a general location where the upper back wall portion 274 and the ledge portion 278 meet). In one example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-18 , the ledge portion width 279 may increase from the toe-portion edge 242 toward a center portion 273 of the back wall portion 272 and may decrease from the center portion 273 to the heel-portion edge 252. Accordingly, in the illustrated example of FIGS. 2-18 , a maximum ledge portion width 279 (shown for example in FIG. 6 ) may be at the center portion 273 of the back wall portion 272. In another example, a maximum ledge portion width 279 may be between the center portion 273 and the toe-portion edge 242. In another example, a maximum ledge portion width 279 may be at or proximate to the toe-portion edge 242. In another example, all or portions of the ledge portion 278 may have a uniform or a substantially uniform ledge portion width 279. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The body portion 210 may include an upper rear body portion width 424, which may be defined by a distance between the upper back wall portion 274 and the body groove portion 530, and a lower rear body portion width 434, which may be defined by a distance between the lower back wall portion 276 and the body groove portion 530. The front body portion 212 may also include an upper front body portion width 422, which may be defined by a distance between the body groove portion 530 and the face portion 262 above the ledge portion 278, and a lower front body portion width 432, which may be defined by a distance between the body groove portion 530 and the face portion 262 below the ledge portion 278. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

In one example, as illustrated in FIG. 9 , the ledge portion width 279 may be greater than the upper rear body portion width 424. In another example, the ledge portion width 279 may be less than the upper rear body portion width 424. In yet another example, the ledge portion width 279 may be similar or substantially similar to the upper rear body portion width 424. The ledge portion width 279 and the upper rear body portion width 424 may vary based on the loft angle 345. In one example, the ledge portion width 279 may decrease as the loft angle 345 increases. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

In one example, as illustrated in FIG. 9 , the maximum ledge portion width 279 may be greater than upper front body portion width 422. In another example, the maximum ledge portion width 279 may be less than the upper front body portion width 422. In another example, the maximum ledge portion width 279 may be similar or substantially similar to the upper front body portion width 422. In yet another example, the maximum ledge portion width 279 may vary based on the loft angle 345, whereas the upper front body portion width 422 may remain constant or substantially constant with the variation in loft angle 345. In FIGS. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 , golf club heads 200 with consecutively increasing loft angles 345 are illustrated, respectively. In one example, as the loft angle 345 of the golf club heads 200 increase from the golf club head 200 of FIG. 19 to golf club head 200 of FIG. 25 , the maximum ledge portion width 279 may decrease for several of the golf club heads 200 with consecutively increasing loft angles 345. In another example, as the loft angle 345 of the golf club head 200 increase from the golf club head 200 of FIG. 19 to golf club head 200 of FIG. 25 , the maximum ledge portion width 279 may decrease for all of the golf club head 200 with consecutively increasing loft angles 345. In one example, an increase in the loft angle 345 and the corresponding decrease in the ledge portion width 279 at any location of the back wall portion 272 including the center portion 273 (i.e., which may be the location of the maximum ledge portion width 279) may be mathematically related. In other words, a relationship between the ledge portion width 279 and the corresponding loft angle 345 may be expressed by a mathematical expression. As also illustrated in the examples of FIGS. 19-24 , the upper front body portion width 422 may remain constant or substantially constant (considering manufacturing techniques and tolerances) with varying loft angle 345. Accordingly, in one example, the ledge portion width 279 may decrease as the loft angle 345 increases such that the ledge portion width 279 may be greater than, equal to, or less than the upper front body portion width 422 depending on the loft angle 345. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

In another example, the lower front body portion width 432 may be greater than the upper front body portion width 422, and the lower rear body portion width 434 may be greater than the upper rear body portion width 424. Accordingly, a sum of the lower rear body portion width 434 and the lower front body portion width 432 may be greater or substantially greater than a sum of the upper rear body portion width 424 and the upper front body portion width 422. Accordingly, the lower back wall portion 276 may extend farther aft of the body groove portion 530 than the upper back wall portion 274. The shapes and widths of the front body portion 212 and the rear body portion 214 as described herein may provide placement of the center of gravity (CG) of the golf club head 200 relatively lower and farther aft (i.e., deep, and greater CG offset relative to the axis of the shaft 110) on the body portion 210 as compared to an iron-type golf club head to enhance forgiveness and ball trajectory (e.g., higher launch and/or higher ball spin) of the golf club head 200. Further, the distance from the lower back wall portion 276 and the face portion 262 may provide a sole-portion edge 292 that may be relatively wide, which may allow for a relatively more forgiving interaction between the golf club head 200 and the turf when the sole-portion edge 292 contacts or engages the turf during a golf swing. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The rear body portion 214 may further include a center cavity portion 630 below the ledge portion 278. In one example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-25 , the center cavity portion 630 may include a center cavity depth 730 that may be similar or substantially similar to the ledge portion width 279. In another example, the center cavity depth 730 may be less or substantially less than the ledge portion width 279. In yet another example, the center cavity depth 730 may be greater or substantially greater than the ledge portion width 279. In one example, the center cavity portion 630 may include one or more visual indicators, such as a badge 732 that may be visible to an individual when viewing the golf club head 200 from different orientations. The badge 732 may include information such as loft angle, brand, model, or any information about the golf club head 200. In another example, any visual information may be provided at any location on the golf club head 200. The center cavity portion 630 may allow removal of mass from the lower center portion of the rear body portion 214 for placement at other locations on the body portion, such as the toe portion of the rear body portion 214 as illustrated for example by the mass portion 632 to increase the moment of inertia (MOI) of the golf club head 200 to improve forgiveness on miss hits. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

In one example, the front body portion 212 and the rear body portion 214 may be constructed from one or more different materials. In another example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-18 , the front body portion 212 and the rear body portion 214 may be constructed from the same material. To an individual at an address position, the front body portion 212 may be visually distinguishable from the rear body portion 214 by the body groove portion 530. In one example, the front body portion 212 and the rear body portion 214 may have one or more different visual properties to be further visually distinguishable to an individual at address position. The one or more visual properties may be one or more colors (i.e., different electromagnetic radiation frequencies of visible light), textures, symbols, surface patterns or other visual characteristics. As described herein, the shape of the front body portion 212 may resemble the shape of an iron-type golf club head. In one example, the front body portion 212 may have a brighter surface color than the rear body portion 214 so as to be visually distinguishable from the rear body portion 214 to an individual at an address position. In other words, the contrasting colors of the front body portion 212 and the rear body portion 214, with the front body portion 212 having a relatively brighter or lighter color while the rear body portion 214 having a relatively darker color may allow the front body portion 212 to visually stand out relative to the rear body portion 214 and/or allow the rear body portion 214 to visually blend in with the background (e.g., the turf). For example, the front body portion 212 may have a chrome or silver color, whereas the rear body portion 214 may have a grey or black color. Further, as described herein the body groove portion 530 may visually distinguish the front body portion 212 from the rear body portion 214 by visually separating the front body portion 212 from the rear body portion 214. Accordingly, when viewing the golf club head 200 from an address position, an individual may perceive the golf club head 200 to be similar to an iron-type golf club head and/or focus on the front body portion 212 so as to allow the individual to operate or use the golf club head 200 similar to an iron-type golf club head. In other words, the visual configuration of the golf club head 200 at an address position, which may be provided as described herein by the body groove portion 530 extending at least on the top-portion edge 282 and/or contrasting colors of the front body portion 212 and the rear body portion 214, may allow an individual to interchangeably switch between using the golf club 100 and an iron-type golf club head having the same loft angle. In another example, one or more visual characteristics of the rear body portion 214, such as color or surface texture, may also be indicative of one or more physical characteristics of the golf club head 200 such as loft angle, volume, weight, and/or materials of construction. For example, rear body portion 214 having a black color may represent a golf club head 200 having a different loft angle than a rear body portion 214 having a blue color. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The body portion and/or the face portion of any of the golf club heads described herein may be partially or entirely made of a steel-based material (e.g., 17-4 PH stainless steel, Nitronic^(®) 50 stainless steel, alloy steel 8620, maraging steel or other types of stainless steel), a titanium-based material, an aluminum-based material (e.g., a high-strength aluminum alloy or a composite aluminum alloy coated with a high-strength alloy), any combination thereof, non-metallic materials, composite materials, and/or other suitable types of materials. The body portion and/or the face portion may be constructed with materials that are similar to any of the body portions and/or face portions described herein or in any of the incorporated by reference applications. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The area of the front surface of the face portion of any of the golf club heads described herein may be similar or substantially similar to an area of a front surface of a face portion of an iron-type golf club head such as any of the iron-type golf club heads described in any of the incorporated by reference patent documents. Accordingly, in one example, the area of the front surface of the face portion of any of the golf club heads described herein may be greater than or equal to 330 mm² and less than or equal to 5000 mm². In another example, the area of the front surface of the face portion of any of the golf club heads described herein may be greater than or equal to 1000 mm² and less than or equal to 5300 mm². In yet another example, the area of the front surface of the face portion of any of the golf club heads described herein may be greater than or equal to 1500 mm² and less than or equal to 4800 mm². While the above examples may describe particular areas, the area of the front surface may greater than or less than those numbers. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The golf club head 200 may have one or mass portions that may be integral to the body portion 210, such as the mass portion 632, or separate from the body portion 210, such as the one or more mass portions described in any of the incorporated by reference patent documents. Any of the mass portions described herein may include a material having a higher density than the density of the material of the corresponding golf club head. For example, one or more components of a golf club head may be made from steel, whereas one or more of the mass portions may be made from tungsten or tungsten-based alloys. Accordingly, a greater amount of mass may be strategically concentrated at various locations of any of the golf club heads described here by using one or more mass portions to improve performance of the golf club head as described herein.

A mass portion as described herein may be defined by a separate mass portion that may be attached to the golf club head, by for example, being received in a correspondingly sized port on the golf club head. Any of the mass portions described herein may also be an integral portion of the corresponding golf club head and for a one-piece part with the body portion. In one example, a mass portion may be defined by a relatively thicker portion of one or more portions of the golf club head. In another example, a mass portion on the golf club head may be defined by a thicker portion of the body portion projecting into the interior cavity. Accordingly, a mass portion may be defined by any portion of the golf club head that may include a larger local concentration of mass relative to the surrounding regions. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

In one example, a filler material as described herein (i.e., a filler material in the interior cavity 410) may include an elastic polymer or an elastomer material (e.g., a viscoelastic urethane polymer material such as Sorbothane® material manufactured by Sorbothane, Inc., Kent, Ohio), a thermoplastic elastomer material (TPE), a thermoplastic polyurethane material (TPU), other polymer material(s), bonding material(s) (e.g., adhesive), and/or other suitable types of materials that may absorb shock, isolate vibration, and/or dampen noise. In another example, a filler material may be one or more thermoset polymers having bonding properties (e.g., one or more adhesive or epoxy materials). A material may also absorb shock, isolate vibration, and/or dampen noise when a golf club head as described herein strikes a golf ball. Further, a filler material may be an epoxy material that may be flexible or slightly flexible when cured. In another example, a filler material may include any of the 3M™ Scotch-Weld™ DP 100 family of epoxy adhesives (e.g., 3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Epoxy Adhesives DP100, DP100 Plus, DP100NS and DP100FR), which are manufactured by 3M corporation of St. Paul, Minnesota. In another example, a filler material may include 3M™ Scotch-Weld™ DP 100 Plus Clear adhesive. In another example, a filler material may include low-viscosity, organic, solvent-based solutions and/or dispersions of polymers and other reactive chemicals such as MEGUMTM, ROBONDTM, and/or THIXONTM materials manufactured by the Dow Chemical Company, Auburn Hills, Michigan. In yet another example, a filler material may be LOCTITE® materials manufactured by Henkel Corporation, Rocky Hill, Connecticut. In another example, a filler material may be a polymer material such as an ethylene copolymer material that may absorb shock, isolate vibration, and/or dampen noise when a golf club head strikes a golf ball via the face portion. In another example, a filler material may be a high density ethylene copolymer ionomer, a fatty acid modified ethylene copolymer ionomer, a highly amorphous ethylene copolymer ionomer, an ionomer of ethylene acid acrylate terpolymer, an ethylene copolymer comprising a magnesium ionomer, an injection moldable ethylene copolymer that may be used in conventional injection molding equipment to create various shapes, an ethylene copolymer that can be used in conventional extrusion equipment to create various shapes, an ethylene copolymer having high compression and low resilience similar to thermoset polybutadiene rubbers, and/or a blend of highly neutralized polymer compositions, highly neutralized acid polymers or highly neutralized acid polymer compositions, and fillers. For example, the ethylene copolymer may include any of the ethylene copolymers associated with DuPontTM High-Performance Resin (HPF) family of materials (e.g., DuPontTM HPF AD1172, DuPontTM HPF AD 1035, DuPont® HPF 1000 and DuPontTM HPF 2000), which are manufactured by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Delaware. The DuPontTM HPF family of ethylene copolymers are injection moldable and may be used with conventional injection molding equipment and molds, provide low compression, and provide high resilience, i.e., relatively high coefficient of restitution (COR). In another example, any one or more of the filler materials described herein may be formed from one or more metals or metal alloys, such as aluminum, copper, zinc, magnesium, and/or titanium. A filler material not specifically described in detail herein may include one or more similar or different types of materials described herein and in any of the incorporated by reference patent documents. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

Any of the golf club heads and/or golf clubs described herein may include one or more sensors (e.g., accelerometers, strain gauges, etc.) for sensing linear motion (e.g., acceleration) and/or forces in all three axes of motion and/or rotational motion (e.g., angular acceleration) and rotational forces about all three axes of motion. In one example, the one or more sensors may be internal sensors that may be located inside the golf club head, the hosel, the shaft, and/or the grip. In another example, the one or more sensors may be external sensors that may be located on the grip, on the shaft, on the hosel, and/or on the golf club head. In yet another example, the one or more sensors may be external sensors that may be attached by an individual to the grip, to the shaft, to the hosel, and/or to the golf club head. In one example, data collected from the sensors may be used to determine any one or more design parameters for any of the golf club heads and/or golf clubs described herein to provide certain performance or optimum performance characteristics. In another example, data from the sensors may be collected during play to assess the performance of an individual. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may include one or more club identifiers (e.g., a serial number, a matrix barcode, a brand name, a model, a club number, a loft angle, a character, etc.). For example, the golf club head may include a visual indicator such as a club number to identify the type of golf club. In one example, the club number may correspond to the loft angle of the golf club head (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9). In one example, a 7-iron type golf club head may be marked with “7”. In another example, the golf club head may include the loft angle. For example, a 54-degree wedge type golf club head may be marked “54.” In yet another example, a 10.5-degree driver type golf club head may be marked “10.5.” The club identifier may be a trademark to identify a brand or a model of the golf club head. The club identifier may be another type of visual indicator such as a product number or a serial number to identify the golf club head 200 as authentic equipment, to track inventory, or to distinguish the golf club head from fake or counterfeit products. Alternatively, the club identifier may be a digital signature or a machine-readable optical representation of information or data about the golf club head (e.g., numeric character(s), alphanumeric character(s), byte(s), a one-dimensional barcode such as a Universal Product Code (UPC), a two-dimensional barcode such as a Quick Response (QR) code, etc.). The club identifier may be placed at various locations on the golf club head (e.g., the hosel portion, the face portion, the sole portion, etc.) using various methods (e.g., laser etched, stamped, cast, or molded onto the golf club head). For example, the club identifier may be a serial number laser etched onto the hosel portion of the golf club head. Instead of being an integral part of the golf club head, the club identifier may be a separate component coupled to the golf club head (e.g., a label adhered via an adhesive or an epoxy).

Any of the apparatus, methods, or articles of manufacture described herein may include one or more visual identifiers such as alphanumeric characters, colors, images, symbols, logos, and/or geometric shapes. For example, one or more visual identifiers may be manufactured with one or more portions of a golf club such as the golf club head (e.g., casted or molded with the golf club head), painted on the golf club head, etched on the golf club (e.g., laser etching), embossed on the golf club head, machined onto the golf club head, attached as a separate badge or a sticker on the golf club head (e.g., adhesive, welding, brazing, mechanical lock(s), any combination thereof, etc.), or any combination thereof. The visual identifier may be made from the same material as the golf club head or a different material than the golf club head (e.g., a plastic badge attached to the golf club head with an adhesive). Further, the visual identifier may be associated with manufacturing and/or brand information of the golf club head, the type of golf club head, one or more physical characteristics of the golf club head, or any combination thereof. In particular, a visual identifier may include a brand identifier associated with a manufacturer of the golf club (e.g., trademark, trade name, logo, etc.) or other information regarding the manufacturer. In addition, or alternatively, the visual identifier may include a location (e.g., country of origin), a date of manufacture of the golf club or golf club head, or both.

The visual identifier may include a serial number of the golf club or golf club head, which may be used to check the authenticity to determine whether or not the golf club or golf club head is a counterfeit product. The serial number may also include other information about the golf club that may be encoded with alphanumeric characters (e.g., country of origin, date of manufacture of the golf club, or both). In another example, the visual identifier may include the category or type of the golf club head (e.g., 5-iron, 7-iron, pitching wedge, etc.). In yet another example, the visual identifier may indicate one or more physical characteristics of the golf club head, such as one or more materials of manufacture (e.g., visual identifier of “Titanium” indicating the use of titanium in the golf club head), loft angle, face portion characteristics, mass portion characteristics (e.g., visual identifier of “Tungsten” indicating the use of tungsten mass portions in the golf club head), interior cavity and filler material characteristics (e.g., one or more abbreviations, phrases, or words indicating that the interior cavity is filled with a polymer material), any other information that may visually indicate any physical or play characteristic of the golf club head, or any combination thereof. Further, one or more visual identifiers may provide an ornamental design or contribute to the appearance of the golf club or the golf club head.

The terms “and” and “or” may have both conjunctive and disjunctive meanings. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless this disclosure indicates otherwise. The term “coupled,” and any variation thereof, refers to directly or indirectly connecting two or more elements chemically, mechanically, and/or otherwise. The phrase “removably connected” is defined such that two elements that are “removably connected” may be separated from each other without breaking or destroying the utility of either element.

The term “substantially” when used to describe a characteristic, parameter, property, or value of an element may represent deviations or variations that do not diminish the characteristic, parameter, property, or value that the element may be intended to provide. Deviations or variations in a characteristic, parameter, property, or value of an element may be based on, for example, tolerances, measurement errors, measurement accuracy limitations and other factors. The term “proximate” is synonymous with terms such as “adjacent,” “close,” “immediate,” “nearby,” “neighboring,” etc., and such terms may be used interchangeably as appearing in this disclosure.

The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be implemented in a variety of embodiments, and the foregoing description of some of these embodiments does not necessarily represent a complete description of all possible embodiments. Instead, the description of the drawings, and the drawings themselves, disclose at least one embodiment, and may disclosure alternative embodiments.

As the rules of golf may change from time to time (e.g., new regulations may be adopted or old rules may be eliminated or modified by golf standard organizations and/or governing bodies such as the USGA, the R&A, etc.), golf equipment related to the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be conforming or non-conforming to the rules of golf at any particular time. Accordingly, golf equipment related to the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be advertised, offered for sale, and/or sold as conforming or non-conforming golf equipment. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

Further, while the above examples may be described with respect to golf clubs, the apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture described herein may be applicable to other suitable types of sports equipment such as a fishing pole, a hockey stick, a ski pole, a tennis racket, etc.

Although certain example apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this disclosure is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this disclosure covers all apparatus, methods, and articles of articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf club head comprising: a body portion having an interior cavity, a toe portion with a toe-portion edge, a heel portion with a heel-portion edge, a face portion, a back portion with a back wall portion, a top portion with a top-portion edge, and a sole portion with a sole-portion edge, a perimeter of the body portion defined by the toe-portion edge, the top-portion edge, the heel-portion edge and the sole-portion edge; and a body groove portion extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of the body portion to define a first body portion from the body groove portion to the face portion and a second body portion from the body groove portion to the back wall portion of the back portion, wherein an outer surface of the first body portion has a first visual property and an outer surface of the second body portion has a second visual property different from the first visual property, and wherein a maximum distance from the top-portion edge to the sole-portion edge is greater than a maximum distance from the face portion to the back wall portion.
 2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the first visual property is associated with a first color and the second visual property is associated with a second color being darker than the first color.
 3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the first visual property comprises a first surface texture and the second visual property comprises a second surface texture different from the first surface texture.
 4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the first visual property comprises a chrome or a silver color and the second visual property is a grey or a black color.
 5. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the body groove portion extends continuously along the entire perimeter of the body portion.
 6. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the body groove portion extends along at least 50% of the perimeter of the body portion.
 7. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the body groove portion extends along the top-portion edge such that the body groove portion is visible to an individual at an address position.
 8. A golf club head comprising: a body portion having an interior cavity, a toe portion with a toe-portion edge, a heel portion with a heel-portion edge, a face portion, a back portion with a back wall portion, a top portion with a top-portion edge, and a sole portion with a sole-portion edge, a perimeter of the body portion defined by the toe-portion edge, the top-portion edge, the heel-portion edge and the sole-portion edge; and a body groove portion extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of the body portion to define a first body portion from the body groove portion to the face portion and a second body portion from the body groove portion to the back wall portion of the back portion, the second body portion comprising: an upper back wall portion; a lower back wall portion, and a ledge portion extending rearward from the upper back wall portion to the lower back wall portion, wherein a maximum distance from the top-portion edge to the sole-portion edge is greater than a maximum distance from the face portion to the back wall portion, and wherein a width of the ledge portion is greater than a distance between the upper back wall portion and the body groove portion.
 9. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein an outer surface of the first body portion has a first color and the outer surface of the second body portion has a second color different color from the first color.
 10. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein an outer surface of the first body portion has a first surface texture and the outer surface of the second body portion has a second surface texture different from the first surface texture.
 11. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein a distance between the lower back wall portion and the body groove portion is greater than a distance between the upper back wall portion and the body groove portion.
 12. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein a distance between the lower back wall portion and the face portion is substantially greater than a distance between the upper back wall portion and the face portion.
 13. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the body groove portion extends continuously along the entire perimeter of the body portion.
 14. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the body groove portion extends along at least 50% of the perimeter of the body portion.
 15. A golf club head comprising: a body portion having an interior cavity, a toe portion with a toe-portion edge, a heel portion with a heel-portion edge, a face portion, a back portion with a back wall portion, a top portion with a top-portion edge, and a sole portion with a sole-portion edge, a perimeter of the body portion defined by the toe-portion edge, the top-portion edge, the heel-portion edge and the sole-portion edge; and a body groove portion extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of the body portion to define a first body portion from the body groove portion to the face portion and a second body portion from the body groove portion to the back wall portion of the back portion, the second body portion comprising: an upper back wall portion; a lower back wall portion, and a ledge portion extending rearward from the upper back wall portion to the lower back wall portion, wherein a maximum distance from the top-portion edge to the sole-portion edge is greater than a maximum distance from the face portion to the back wall portion, and wherein a width of the ledge portion is greater than a distance between the body groove portion and the face portion.
 16. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein an outer surface of the first body portion has a first visual property, and wherein an outer surface of the second body portion has a second visual property different from the first visual property.
 17. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein a distance between the lower back wall portion and the body groove portion is greater than a distance between the upper back wall portion and the body groove portion.
 18. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein a distance between the lower back wall portion and the face portion is substantially greater than a distance between the upper back wall portion and the face portion.
 19. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein the body groove portion extends continuously along the entire perimeter of the body portion.
 20. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the body groove portion extends along the top-portion edge such that the body groove portion is visible to an individual at an address position. 